The US military is using VR to simulate combat jumps

American special operators are using a new virtual reality trainer to simulate their air insertions before they jump, allowing them to conduct near-perfect rehearsals over and over before the actual mission.

PARASIM incorporates a harness tailor-made to parachute manufacturer's specifications, a virtual reality headset, and a digital environment using weather simulation and satellite or map imagery. All of this put together allows operators to create custom mission profiles and then practice them.

"If I need to insert a SEAL team in Syria tomorrow night, all I need is a latitude and longitude," David Landon, president and CEO of Systems Technology Inc., told Defense News. "So by the time they actually make the jump, they've already done it. There are no surprises."

The system can even handle multiple jumpers in a single simulation, allowing a unit to virtually jump as a team and work together to make the proper insertion to the target area.

Every military branch in the Department of Defense has purchased the system, according to Systems Technology Inc.'s website.